Method of therapeutic treatment



March 30 1926.

1'7 1921 2 Sheets-Etheet 1 A9" Original Filed Oct.

March 30,1926; 1,578,654

. T. R. N. GERDES METHOD OF THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT Original 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 0 O o O aw 6/14 %M vented certain new and useful.Improvements Ptented 9, Q

'rnnononnn. NGERDES, on NEW YORK, Y; I1

METHOD, v or rnnnnrnurrc 'rnnnrivrnnr,

in Methods of Therapeutic Treatment, of which the following is a spe'cification.. V

The present invention relates to a process of therapeutic treatment to be employed in 1 rheumatic and other affections.

Much study has been givento the effect 7 :of various'forms-of radiant energy upon rays ofjgreater amplitude 't-lianthe red anc the ?ultra-v1olet7 or chemical rays.

radiant heat to a p'a-t-ients ,body in much opinion as to'the real or fancied therapeutic in another ay, the process involves a-,si m u1- taneous radiant heating and convective toot a physiological functions, and undoubtedly the radiations of the. general orderfound j in natural sunlight have been those most Widely used heretofore. These rays include not only those producing light properfrom dark red at one end of the spectrum to-dark violetat the otherbut alsothe infra-red While there has been muchfdifference of,

value of blue, violet and ultra-violet rays,

thebeneficial effect of the infra-red rays,

ivhoseradiantaction is characterized by the phenomenon of sensible heat, is indisputable; One principal -distinctionbetween the. physi- 1 ological eifects' of these t-ivo classes of rays is 'that the former, or high frequency rays affect the surface of the body only, ivhile the low frequency rays penetrate the deeper tissues. Y y g a p The principal difliculty in obtaining intensive and efficient physiological results by the use of radiant energy, more particularly of low frequency, is found in the fact that when applied to a patients body the discomfort increases very rapidly in aroportion as the intensity of the radiantenergy increases, until, long before the limit-of usefulness is reached, the process becomes too painful to be borne. f V

The process'of treatment involved in the present invention makesit possible to apply greater quantities than havebeenheretofore practicable, While preserving the patient from any material discomfort. The process, may be said to involve the application of thermal rays Without a materialproduction of sensible heat in the patient. To sta'te it 1921, Serial No. 508,349. Divided and 29, 1925. serial no. 46,772.

tric motor 15.

this application -filed July ing, althoughthis is only a partial statement of the conditions that arisef In carrying out this process, the patients body, either standlng ly ng or sitting, is;

subjected to an'application of heat rays, prefer ably not of greater frequency than dull red, While at the same time a current of constantly renewed or ".fresh air, of suitably i comfortable temperature and hygroscopic condition, iscaused to flow in a stream'over the patient; This combined; treatment' may be applied either, to the entire'body or only p to certain parts, 'Withinthe judgment of the physician in charge;

The eflect 'of this combination of oper- T ations isthat a degree of radiantheat may; i i be employed which would otherwise be too painful tor-bepracti'cable; since the rapid"- stream ofrelatively cold air carries aivay;

the incipient sensible heat'occurring at the area of impingement'of the rays. This dissipation of'heatis also doubtless assisted by evaporation fromfthe pores of theskin, which 7 I 5 promptly open under this treatment; 5 It sone of the advantages Qf-this in tion that a patients entire body mayi be subjected to treatmentjwithout disturbingi the heat balance and ,without discomfort in breathing", since no hot air-enters the lungs;

The principle, of the inyention. can; obvi ouslybe applied in a great varlety of ways There is shown herein a preferred form of and bythe use of many kinds of'app'aratu'sl cabinet for this purpose, adapted to be used 7 in treating the entire body, and in the accome panying illustrations Figure 1 1s a vertical sectional view of the. same for a single patientjFigure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, Figure 3.is an elevation of a preferredradiant element,'-Figure 4 is a are diagrammatic views of modified arran ments for. a plurality of patients The treating chamber shownin'l igures l and 2, has a side Wall or Walls 10 more terl 7 plan view of the same, and Figures 5fand 6 less nearly circular incross section, so ar-f- 'ra-nged'as to have an open space near the bottom, as: by the use of leg-s11 Which lift the entire wall shortdis ground. The top lQ f-the cabinet is preferany suitable; means, 1

tance ofttlie .7

1") ably conical, as. s'hoWn,-;and is" SlIIIDOllIIlGCl .by'a turret 13, containing afan- 14, driven by l as, for instance, the .el ec ot radiant heat of low periodicity which are preferably arraned in Vertical rows, as shown, the radiant elements in each row being arranged on a'level about half way between the level'of the elements'in the next row. rides a substantially uniformprojection of radiant heat upon'the patient, who should stand or sit at the center of the cabinet. ,A door 17 is provided whereby the patient may enter the cabinet. 7

Any appropriate source of the radiant energy may be used, but I preter electric heaters, and have found, the form shown in detail in Figures o and i to be practical and convenient. These elements comprisea tube of refractoryinsulating material 18 surrounded by res :tance wire .19 coiled around them. "They are ,preji l v distinguished from lamps, latter, would be Within the broad invention.

The Whole issupported by the ends of the coils which are brought out an v in a Weli known manner to metal bra 20. These braekets are heldonthe Wall -10 by suitably insulated connections 21, rah by they are electrically connected Withleads d heaters 'alt-ho ugh the .22, 23, which supply the heating current.

I prefer to place suitable reflectors, behind the radiant elements, whereby all the heat is directed toward thev cent-tea. of the cabinet These preferably take the of tients body, battle platesQtare preterably This staggered arrangement pro- In order that this current may be supplied immediately under the fan. T hesc break upv and distribute the current of air in a Well known manner.

It is obvious that the construction de scribed-lends itsel t very readily to immediate and convenient control of both the amount and distribution of heat by switchfine; on or offany element desired. The well known methods used tori-rising and lowering electric lights can also be used to raise and lower the ten'rperature as a whole.

In Figures 5 and 6 (which are diagrams as. seen from above)rare-shown thearrang'ements of radiant. elements withi-nrectangular chambers in a manner;to-supply substantially unitorin efiects over the :bodies of a plurality or patients,.placed at A, B, C and D respectively. In Figure the arrangement of the Vertical lTOfiTfS is that adapted for two patients; while ,the arrangement indicated in Figure 6 appropriate .to the treatment oi: four people.

This .18 a (l13 lS1011 of my .illQlDllCtltlOll for United States patent, Serial Number 508 349, filed October ,1?,71921, wherein the structure herein shown claimed. The present patent relates only to the method or art practiced thereby;

What I claim is.,:

LThe mode of therapeutic treatment Wl "oh consists in directing; radiant thermal rays upon a patient While causing a current of cooling air to pass over the surf c .ot' the part to be treated receiving said ra s.

2. The mode 01 therapeutic treatment which consists in enclosing the parts to be treated with .a. source of radiant thermal energy. While causing. stream of external cooling air to pass throughfthc enclosure over and contact with the treetedparrs. In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. I

THEODORE R. N. GERBES.

so i 

